Page 10 of The Hookup Type

Maci tried her best to sound interested in what would happen next. “Do you need my help?”

I sucked in a breath. “As tempting as that is, I think you should either wait in the car or watch from the tree lawn.”

“Fine.” She hopped out of the car and followed me.

“Unlock your car, goofy,” I said without turning around. I didn’t have to see her face to know she was shooting a half smile that included her right dimple in my direction. I felt stupid that I was wearing the same expression.

It was easy to be with Maci. It was easy beingfriendswith Maci. When I looked at her, I saw someone I could spend all day talking to about anything that came to mind. But I also saw a girl I wanted to fuck at least a dozen different ways. It was a complicated and unnatural back and forth that happened incessantly in my head. It was exhausting.

I heard the locks shift in her door and went to work. Maci sat on the tree lawn next to the car and scrolled through her phone. She filled me in on photos she liked on Instagram, and I did my best to sound invested in celebrity gossip. This went on for about fifteen minutes while I double-checked a few parts underneath the hood.

“Mace,” I called, “bring me the toolbox from my trunk.”

She jumped up like she was eager to have something to do. It was obnoxious how much I smiled at this girl when she wasn’t looking. I slipped off my shirt and hung it over my shoulder. I had no idea my afternoon would consist of working above an overheated engine, but once I heard Maci’s laugh a few feet away, it suddenly didn’t matter.

“Would you like your tools with . . .” She rounded the hood of the car. “Or without a side of C-cups.”

She held my toolbox in one hand, and in her other, a sparkly blue bra dangled from her index finger. She cocked her head and waited for me to answer.

My eyes narrowed, and I took the box of tools from her hand. I knew she was enjoying this. Part of me was relieved to see she had a sense of humor surrounding her unexpected find. If Heather had found another girl’s bra in the back of my Jeep, I would’ve heard about it for months.

I was also sleeping with Heather. I wasjust friendswith Maci.

“So you're a boob guy?” She smiled and held the bra out in front of her to get the full effect.

“I can be,” I admitted and grinned up at her. “But I’m a sucker for a nice ass too.”

“Girls don’t just leave these around,” she continued, playing off the sudden change in topic. “They’re too expensive.”

“Well, it’s been in there for a while”—I thought through my timeline—“at least a year. So I think it’s safe to say she doesn’t miss it. You should see my boy Kennedy’s car.” I would love to see her reaction to the shit Bryson had lying around in his backseat.

Maci rolled her eyes and flung the bra back in my trunk.

After I double-checked my work and ensured everything was as tight as possible, I wiped my hands off with my shirt. “Start it up.”

She climbed in and turned the key. Her car hummed like it was taking a breath of fresh air. I closed her hood, and she smiled at me from behind her wheel.

“Consider me impressed,” Maci admitted. “You really saved me today.”

“Think you could pay me back with some lunch since family dinner isn’t an option right now?”

She grinned and nodded.

“I think I want Pollyeyes,” I pondered out loud. “Are you good with Pollyeyes?”

Campus Pollyeyes served giant stuffed breadsticks that were filled with different toppings. Served with a side of their homemade ranch, they were always a go-to food option in Bowling Green.

“Yeah, but we have to be quick,” she said. “Katie and I still need to go shopping for tonight.”

I walked to her passenger side and slipped my shirt back on. I looked over at her as she scrolled through a playlist. The way she bit her bottom lip told me she was thinking about something.

“What’s up, Mace?” I prompted casually.

“Oh, nothing!” she answered quickly and chose a country artist by the name of Thomas Rhett. “Are you still planning on stopping by tonight?”

“That’s the plan.” I nodded, and her shoulders instantly relaxed. She was afraid I was going to bail. Even though I wasn’t sure how tonight would go, I would never do that to her.

My answer had completely shifted her mood, and I would give it over and over again if it kept that sexy grin on her face. I watched as she sang some song about a T-shirt, and suddenly country music didn’t sound that bad.

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